Means for supporting removable vehicle bodies



Aug- 23, 1938- A. R. HUTCHINSON ET AL 2,127,972

MEANS FOR SUPPORTING REMOVABLE VEHICLE BODIES Filed Jun 17, i956Patented Aug. 23, 1938 PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING REMOVABLEVEHICLE BODIES- Allan Robert Hutchinson and Lancelot John Hutchinson,Glen Iris, Victoria. Australia Application June 17,

1936, Serial No. 85,680

In Australia June 21, 1935 4 Claims.

This invention has reference to means in improvements for supportingremovable vehicle bodies and is particularly adaptable to that class oftransport vehicle where a plurality of removable bodies are used inassociation with a single power driven vehicle framework or trailerframework having trackways provided thereon to receive wheels or rollersmounted upon the under side of the bodies.

Hitherto difficulties have been experienced in connection with suchtransport systems in aligning the trackways upon the vehicle frameworkwith those on the top of the framework employed to receive and hold theremovable body during loading and unloading in the absence of the motoror other vehicle. The most serious of these aligning difiiculties hasbeen the very great variation in the level of the trackways upon thevehicle framework from time to time due to the great range of springcompression of the vehicle framework between the extremes of unloadedand fully loaded conditions.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an adjustableframework construction adapted to receive a removable body of the classhereinbefore mentioned interchangeably between a vehicle frameworkirrespective of the unloaded. or loaded condition of said vehicleframework With the above object in View they present invention consistsin a movable framework construction having trackways to receive aremovable body, or two such bodies side by side, the said frameworkconstruction being provided with wheels or rollers associated withadjustable means to satisfactorily align the said trackways with thoseof a co-acting vehicle framework for the interchangeable transference ofa removable body from either one set of co-acting trackways to theother.

The invention is characterized by apparatus consisting in a reinforcedframework construction comprising trackways adapted to receive a wheelor roller mounted removable body, or two such bodies side by side, thesaid framework construction having three or more supports terminatcdwith wheels or rollers in contact with the ground or suitable guideways,means being provided for the vertical adjustment of the trackways of theframework to accord in level with trackways disposed on a transportvehicle the said adjustment means preferably comprising a quick actingscrew and nut or alternatively pneumatic or hydraulic jack or rack andpinion, means being. included for effecting the hori zontal alignment ofthe co -relative trackways of the framework and transport vehicle saidmeans preferably comprising splayed attachments to the trackways uponthe framework construction and adapted to guide the trackways of thevehicle into juxtaposition with the said trackways of the }frameworkconstruction while the supporting wheels or rollers may be adapted to beturned and. fixed transversely of their normal direction to facilitatethe alignment process.

An important feature embodied in our invention is the provision with theframework construction of vertical adjustment means for raising orlowering one end of said framework construction for alignment purposeswith co-acting vehicle framework.

Another important feature embodied in our invention is that theframework construction may incorporate dual sets of trackways to enablea transport vehicle to have a loaded or unloaded body removed therefromand replaced by another loaded or unloaded body while the said transportvehicle remains in a stationary position.

Other features of this invention are described hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawing in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable framework constructionhaving its trackways disposed in alignment with co-acting trackways of aroad transport vehicle.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the adjustable framework constructiondisposed in guideways and incorporating two sets of trackways.

Figure 3 is a detail of the adjustable support of the frameworkconstruction.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail elevation of line 1-4 of Figure 3.

According to one form of carrying our invention into practical effect,we provide a horizontal framework construction 5 having channeledtrackways 6 disposed on the top thereof for the reception of wheels orrollers of a road transport vehicle body. The framework 5 is providedwith two brackets or legs 9 at one end and with two brackets. ill at theother end, the brackets I0 being associated with supporting means forthe framework adjustable to elevate or lower the adjacent end thereof.Each of the brackets 9 and H), as shown, may have a V-shape, this shaperesulting in great strength and rigidity in comparison with the weightof the bracket. The brackets 9 carry at their lower ends bearing blocksl5 in which are journaled suitable rollers or wheels I I. The bracketsID are provided at their lower ends with suitable guiding aperturesthrough which slidably extend vertical shafts l6, each shaft havingsecured to the lower end thereof a bearing block l5 in which isjournaled a wheel or roller II. As indicated, these rollers may, ifdesired, be detachable from their hearing blocks. The shafts l6 arescrew-threaded, the upper portion of each shaft being in threadedengagement with a nut II which is rotatably supported at the lower endof a tubular anchoring member 20 which is secured to and projectsdownward from the frame 5. As shown, each tubular member 20 is disposedbetween the legs of the corresponding bracket II]. The upper end of eachshaft I6 is adapted to project into its tubular member 20 to a greateror lesser extent according to the rotation of the nut II. In order tosupport its nut, each tubular member may be provided with a flange I9 atits lower end which is seated in an annular groove H in the upper faceof the nut. An annular ring I8 is secured on the upper face of the nutso as to overlap the flange I9 and thus to retain the nut in correctrelation with respect to the tubular member 20. A pair of radial handles'22 may be provided to facilitate the rotation of the nut I'I. It isevident that rotation of such nut will result in the raising or loweringof the nut on the shaft I6 and hence the raising or lowering of thecorner of the frame 5 supported by such shaft. In order to preventrotation of the bearing block I5 and shaft I5 when the nut I1 isrotated, a latch 26 may be mounted on the bracket l0 so as to engagebetween a pair of ears 25 on the block l5. As shown in Figure 3, thislatch'may be pivotally mounted so as to swing clear of the ears whendesired. Four pairs of such ears may be supplied on the block l5 so thatthe block may be secured in any one of four angularpo'sitions withreference to the bracket II]. By rotation of the nuts 11, the receivingends of the trackways 6 may be vertically adjusted so as to be alinedwith co-acting trackways I3 of a road transport vehicle from which amovable body may be shifted onto the trackways 6.

The Vertical adjustment means at the latter end ,of the framework 5preferably comprises a casting I5 carrying in a detachable manner thewheel or roller II the said casting I5 being disposed on the lower endof'a threaded shaft or spindle l6, preferably a quick acting thread,thesaid threaded shaft I6 engaging witha nut I1 adapted to rotate butfixed in vertical relationship to the trackways 6. The nut I1 isanchored in position by a ring I8 mounted to the top thereof, the saidring l8 engaging with the flange I9 of an anchoring member 20 fixed tothe framework construction 5 or trackways 6, the flange I9 of saidanchoring member 20 being disposed in a groove ZI formed in the top ofthe nut ll thereby permitting the nut I! to be rotated in order to movethe threaded shaft I6 in a vertical manner and raise or lower as desiredthe adjacent end of the framework'construction 5, operating handles 22being provided on the nut I! to facilitate said nut I! being turned.

The castings I5 carrying the wheels ll may be provided with spacedlugs25 on two or more sides and adapted to receive a projecting lug ortongue '26 pivotally mounted on one side of the supports I0 when thesaid casting I5 is correctly positioned for moving the frameworkconstruction 5 longitudinally or laterally, the engagement of the tongue26 with the lugs 25 preventing the casting I5 from rotating.

Each trackwayfi of the framework construction 5 is provided with splayedor aligning guides 23 on the end adapted to be adjusted to varyingheights from the ground the said guides 23 facilitating the trackways I3of the transport vehicle and the trackways 6 of the frameworkconstruction 5 to be aligned.

Disposed near the end of one of the trackways 6 of each set opposite theend carrying the splayed guides 23 is provided a locking arrangement 24either automatic or manual for the purpose of securely retaining theremovable body on the framework construction 5 until released at thewill of the operator.

In a modified form of construction the framework construction 5 isprovided with a plurality of sets of trackways 6 as illustrated inFigure 2 of the accompanying drawing, the wheels II of said frameworkconstruction 5 being adapted to travel-in guideways I2 in order that aloaded or unloaded transport vehicle body may be transferred from thetrackways I3 of the road transport vehicle on to one set of trackways 6of the framework construction 5, an unloaded or loaded vehicle bodyalready positioned on the other set of trackways 6 of the frameworkconstruction 5 being adapted to be transferred on to the transportvehicle after the said framework construction 5 has been moved intocorrect alignment with the stationary transport vehicle.

What we claim as. our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:-

1. Apparatus for the purpose specified, char-, acterized by a horizontalframe, support means for said frame including a plurality of tubularmembers projecting downward from said frame, each said member having aflange at the lower end thereof, a nut aligned with and rotatablysupported by each said member, a threaded shaft in threadedengagement'with each said nut and projecting downward therefrom, abearing block secured to the lower end of each said shaft, a rollerjournaled in each-said block, means for releasablyholding said block andshaft against rotation, and a guide member for each shaft rigidlysecured to said frame and surrounding its shaft at a pointnear'itsrespective bearing block.

2. Apparatus for the purposes specified, characterized by a horizontalframe, support means for said frame including a tubular member pro- 7jecting downward from said frame, said member having a screw-threadedshaft with its upper end loosely disposed therein, a rotatable nut onsaid shaft below said tubular means, means for preventing axial movementof said nut relative to said tubular member, a bearing block secured tothe lower end of said shaft, a roller journaled ,in said block, andmeans extending down from said frame toprovide lateral support for thelower portion of said shaft and to hold said shaft against rotation. V

3. Apparatus for the purposes specified, characterized by a horizontalframe, support means for said frame including a tubular memberprojecting downward therefrom, a screw-threaded shaft having its upperend portion loosely disposed in said tubular member, a nut rotatablymounted on said shaft, means holding said nut against axial movementrelative to said frame, a roller mounted on said shaft at the lower endthereof, a bracket secured to said frame engaging said shaft near thelower end thereof to provide lateral support for the same, and meanscarried by said bracket for preventing rotation of said shaft.

'4. Apparatus for the purposes specified, characterized by a horizontalframe, support means for said frame including a tubular memberprojecting downward therefrom, a screw-threaded shaft having its upperend portion loosely disposed in said tubular member, a nut rotatablymounted on said shaft, means holding said nut against axial movementrelative to said frame, a bearing block mounted on the lower end of saidshaft, a roller journaled in said bearing, a bracket secured to theframe and engaging said shaft near its lower end to provide lateralsupport therefor, and means on said bracket and block releasablyengaging each other to prevent rotation 5 of said shaft.

ALLAN ROBERT HUTCHINSON. LANCELOT JOHN HUTCHINSON.

